31 Genius Facts about Jim Henson - mental_floss List Show Ep. 337

[@margaretguillory]

Thanks for highlighting Jim Henson. He has given me much laughter, joy and a tear or two over the years.

[@bibliofowl]

Just hearing about Big Bird singing It's Not Easy Being Green makes me tear up. Such an amazingly beautiful performance.

[@PSquared-oo7vq]

John, you sure picked the right topic and the right tone for today. Teaching young people not to hate seems remarkably pertinent this evening.

[@camerongray3985]

This is one of the deepest mental floss videos I've watched.

[@samtemple1880]

Jim has always been a huge influence on my life. Just a spectacular man.

[@amg1591]

Love hearing that an icon like Henson was such a good person

[@rubymimosa]

Crying. You made my heart sing with remembered joy Jim and his team brought me. Thank you. I needed a smile.

[@gnelson3603]

The world could use another Jim Henson. What an incredible man. I always loved watch the Muppet Show when I was young. My family couldn't wait for the next show. Back then, they weren't reruns, it was all new and so entertaining. Thinking about it makes me feel young. It's time to watch some more, everyone else should too.

[@curtisgibb3635]

I was in Grade 11 when Jim Henson died. The two students that did the morning announcements sang Rainbow Connection the next day for the morning announcement. Most of the us (at least in my classroom) got teary eyed. I still get teary eyed when I hear that song.

[@PogieJoe]

One of my heroes. He truly was a genius.

[@wacka.]

loved The Henson Company's work in Farscape, shame Jim wasn't alive to see it - one of my favourite sci-fi's. Amazing creatures.

[@ismolatham4393]

+wacka Farscape is amazing! its weird how people don't even know about it though!

[@unfabgirl]

+Isabel Latham Heck, they even make a joke about the obscurity of it in Stargate.

[@bdfpgirl]

I completely agree. Farscape was full a amazing and imaginative things, just like Jim Henson.

[@cbjgirl23]

Last fact will always give me chills!

[@ashleyvanhammer3448]

Thank you so much for this video, for every video you all do. Especially in today's climate it's a breath of sunshine.

[@KyDucky]

Kermit the Frog saved my life... literally. I will never get to tell the story to Mr. Henson, but I owe him so much. And I have loved him all of my days. Thanks for this.

[@Apledore]

+Kamel, K Not necessarily. A Kermit doll could literally save someone's life, given the right circumstances, or something that Kermit said could encourage someone to perform or not perform a certain action.

[@KyDucky]

No, I'm actually not. I was slipping into a coma... my mom was crying and the doctors had put a tv in my room to try to get me to focus, but I couldn't. I was trying to stay awake ( I was ten) but nothing helped. And then there was a taking frog on tv. I opened my eyes but I couldn't understand him..so my mother told me everything he said..and I laughed. And after that they made me watch Sesame Street every day because the muppets held my interest. :D It gave them time to find out what was wrong with me and start treatment. ( It was an Army hospital and tv was not allowed in kids' rooms, but I had one the whole time I was there , about three weeks)

[@Jay-Jones]

+Lori Hart your story was very sweet

[@KyDucky]

It was a scary time and I have a talking frog to thank for getting me through it. LOL. No short way to tell that story. Thanks... I really am grateful.

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

+Lori Hart This is one of the most touching life stories I've ever heard. Thank you, Kermit. Sometimes it is our childhood friends who end up being our life heroes.

[@themotherbrassica]

Made it to #31 before the waterworks came on... Thank you for everything, Mr. Henson

[@thisisatonofbs]

"It's not easy being green" sung by Big Bird can be seen in the documentary "I Am Big Bird: The Carrol Spinney Story"

[@dmitriwillguard]

+Daemonstorm Animations I'm fairly sure the rest of the memorial is floating around on KZbin as well.

[@CWRoederer]

+Daemonstorm Animations Look up the KZbin channel "The Jim Henson Collection"; they have the entire memorial service both in one full video and each part broken into bits.

[@SecretFiri]

Aw... That last part made me cry...

[@mikecronis]

Brilliant man, Henson.

[@halfwhiteNnerdy]

and the tears came flowing at that last bit.... dang it, Meredith...

[@alee_enn]

R.I.P. Jim ... we miss you.

[@teajaydc4484]

Being from the DC area, I am old enough to remember watching Henson's TV show as a kid. Including those Wilkins coffee commercials.

[@RockySunshin8]

Very good video guys. Very interesting, funny, touching...one of your best mental floss vids yet!

[@ReikaSensei]

;o; Okay the last fact hella just made me cry.

[@SirChubbyBunny]

+Reika Is it raining on your face too?

[@ReikaSensei]

SirChubbyBunny Yes. ;o; From rain clouds shaped like Big Bird and Kermit.

[@rayhs1984]

The video is on KZbin. It is that saddest thing ever.

[@MetFanMac]

There's also the other songs sung by the rest of the Muppeteers... particularly "Just One Person". I won't spoil how that one turns out for you.

[@kimberlyadams2078]

I love this video. My mom loved the Muppets and Jim Henson's work, and now I can really see why.

[@abbyroadme]

I love this video, because I have been a huge Jim Henson fan for years.

[@RDGoodner]

Damn you, John Green! The aching void in my chest whenever I think about Jim Henson had finally gone away. Not even the frickin' ERB could bring it back. But you did. (Seriously, thank you. This is one of my favorite of your mental floss videos)

[@miriamgreen3973]

MASH & Muppet Show are my all time favorite shows

[@neonswimmergirl]

Thank you for such an inspirational episode. Lovely.

[@SeanRundell]

This video gave me all the feels.

[@happyfacefries]

If anyone is watching this in 2020, you NEEEEEED to see the 5 part documentary that Disfunctland made. It is absolutely incredible and you will love it, but I'm also warning that will be bawling at the end. One of my favorite documentaries of all time from anywhere and everywhere.

[@cj-seejay-cj-seejay]

you know, one little mention of miss piggy and you could have added $$ to the staff pork chop party fund...

[@Breezy1015]

+slut4berniesanders This comment, plus your username, was the best thing to see after encountering onion-chopping ninjas at the end of this video

[@mikinyckel439]

Great post!! And as child, I loooooved Fraggle Rock! It was magical to me. Win.

[@fartzinwind]

I still love watching Fraggle Rock today, and I'm in my 30's. Though as I got older my favorite work of his became The Story Teller.

[@PogieJoe]

+fartzinwind The Storyteller is wonderful!

[@fartzinwind]

One of the most touching moments I've had recently was being at a presentation of The Labyrinth, with guest speaker Toby Froud. He gave a wonder heart felt lecture about how puppetry has been evolving since Labyrinth. He is actually more involved today with the art than he ever has, working with the company that made Box trolls. The Frouds helped give a face to the imagination of Jim, and I wish they got more credit than people know of. They still make wonderful art today. My girlfriend owns several signed art books of theirs.

[@Dan_The_Dude]

The last one made me cry

[@bugoftheleaves]

when my older sister was little, she did a ballet piece to "rainbow connection". unknowingly at that time, she performed it the same day jim henson died.

[@jarla90]

Labyrinth have been my d favorite movie since I was 3, I didn't even know any English at that age but started learning just short after.. I'm now 25 years old and I watch Labyrinth at least 2-5 times a year.. I absolutely love it

[@MrsShocoTaco]

Jim Henson was one of those people that the world will never be able to replace. RIP Kermit

[@popc5245]

Henson was all kind of awesoness

[@gemmaohlemacher]

It's raining on my face...

[@siramea]

+Gemma Ohlemacher I've just been cutting onions...

[@roberteospeedwagon3708]

Oh...so It is.

[@alyssamartin22]

+SuperMe I am making a lasagna...

[@jonmartintx1]

+Alyssa Martin For one

[@peze80]

These darn onions!

[@mols556]

There really ought to be a bigger thumbs-up button I can push for this.

[@SarahCarrico]

Well, that's the first time I've ever cried at a MF video. Dammit.

[@allluckyseven]

Henson didn't forget to be awesome.

[@Candyliz2003]

If you haven't seen the memorial service for Mr. Henson stop reading this and immediately go and search for it here on KZbin - it's wonderful! You'll need tissues.

[@AngelValis]

+Candyliz2003 Considering I'm in public and already tearing up from this video....I'll wait till I get home.

[@cbjgirl23]

THIS MAKES ME SO DANG HAPPY YEEEAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

[@Apledore]

I think John was getting a little emotional at the end there, too!

[@mundotaku_org]

I see now puppycat has substituted the creepy bunny mask.

[@JulianGreystoke]

I don't cry easily at all, but I get misty just thinking about Big Bird's "It's not easy being green". Oh man. *Sniffle*

[@GrayStudios]

I always assumed Muppet meant monster-puppet, since so many of the characters (particularly in Sesame Street) are monsters, such as Cookie Monster, Elmo, Grover, etc.

[@nightravin]

Big Bird at Jim Henson's funeral was the saddest thing ever. Part way through you realize he's not just morning Henson but Kermit too.

[@msrainbowbrite]

I love The Labyrinth

[@allluckyseven]

+MsRainbow Brite First movie I ever watched on a theater. Standing up with my dad, because the place was packed full, I must add.

[@jr52990]

I watched Big Bird singing the song here on youtube. Gosh dang, just thinking about it makes me water up.

[@kendallaughenbaugh7756]

"His college" -- Henson is a University of Maryland alum! He's one of our most favorite, too! We have a statue of him on campus, where he's sitting having a chat with Kermit. Also, where'd you guys get that info about his printing business in the union? I work for UMD University Archives and I've never heard that!!

[@sarahb9902]

Watching the Jim Henson tribute episode of the muppets will 100% make anyone cry, especially then end where after a touching song Kermit tells the audience "we'll be seeing you soon with more muppet stuff, because that's the way the boss would want it"

[@becmec1730]

You haven't really cried until you see the footage of Big Bird singing at Jim Henson's funeral...

[@MizzNoire]

*cough* I'm not crying...I got Cheeto dust in my eye. Yup.

[@mrobusto1010]

Gots da feels now.

[@EleriHamilton]

Henson was the last true Storyteller/Bard. We lost something magical when he died.

[@briankrause9565]

I was hoping for something from the show Dinosaurs. That was another awesome Jim Henson creation.

[@valjoy1507]

John almost crying on that last one...

[@jaypillsbury843]

JIM HENSON. YES. Lifelong fan of the Muppets right here! And Fraggle Rock, and the Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth... etc.

[@haley_and_phil]

While Big Bird's performance was touching, the one that gets me during the memorial is the "Just One Person" song where all of the performers sing together.

[@therealEmpyre]

I remember seeing Jim Henson on the Arsenio Hall show just a week or two before he died. There was no sign that he was near the end.

[@RaskylC]

the triangle thing.. now i cant unsee it from all the muppets

[@rahmu]

well...I didn't plan on crying today, but here we are.

[@KapustaCuber]

I always thought Muppet was a portmanteau for "monster" and "puppet."

[@annabelr3595]

My mom worked for Jim Henson and is friends with his daughters

[@zeebo30]

I... never thought it was puppet and marrionet combined. I thought it was supposed to be Monster and Puppet put together since most of the Muppets are, in fact, monsters

[@rosalindmatteson3697]

I love Jim Henson and the Muppets! I also love that YOU, John Green did it. I do not like it when other hosts do Mental Floss.

[@Soy_Sauce_Supreme]

Thought this was 31 genuine facts about Jim Stirling at first haha.

[@SleepNeed]

Jim Henson was a creative genius, shame he had to go so soon. I recommend to people that if they are ever in Washington, DC, go to the National Museum of American History. There they have a Kermit the Frog muppet in the American Stories section (as well as lots of other fantastic items in the same and other sections. It's free and well worth a few hours exploring.) They also have an Oscar the Grouch, but it's not currently being shown to the public.

[@rydarn]

he started crying on the last fact but so did i

[@fartzinwind]

For anyone who wants to see another video, that's sort of historical about Jim Henson, go see Epic Rap Battles Of History Jim Henson VS Stan Lee. It's both funny, historically accurate, and pays both people a lot of respect, in as much of a way as you can in a Rap Battle.

[@ladefreakndah]

I remember playing the labyrinth game on the c64.

[@Edgemaster72]

I'm not tearing up at the ending, there's just something in my eyes, you're the one that's crying, shut up!

[@JenDeyan]

Jim Henson. Is it silly to miss a man I never met?

[@Lukusprime]

I can't believe there used to be only 3 tv channels.

[@paulgilhool5515]

Friend of mine spoked a j with Carrol Spiney aka Big Bird at a party in NYC

[@jonquintana1]

I want to know more about Lifetime.. This method of advertising is great! 👍

[@emilymcgovern2064]

He's back!!! My comments worked!!!

[@missoula2213]

John sounds like Yoda, if Yoda were played by Liam Neeson.

[@freakette555]

Another fact: He tried LSD and was "disappointed"

[@christineharris877]

my sister loves your books!!!!!

[@ATrustInThrust]

Yay!!!! Mental floss video with John green the only good host!

[@JoeKell365]

32. he whooped Stan Lee's ass in the ERB

[@Cthulhoop]

+Joe Kell Not true. Stan Lee beat him with a low blow, then apologized. Then out came Walt Disney...

[@JoeKell365]

Disney was the best by far, but i liked Jim Henson's lines a lot more than Stan Lee's. plus, Stan has an annoying voice

[@Keldroc]

Lucasfilm isn't going to sue you for quoting Star Wars, dude. Otherwise half the country would be in court constantly.

[@kellyespar]

Ow... The feels... 😪

[@kujmous]

i'm crying

[@vinylguy6453]

Didn't learn a thing but I don't mind at all. Rip my hero Jim Henson

[@Pratchettgaiman]

If you want a good cry, look up the fan song " a boy and his frog" by Tim smith

[@kylienichol7510]

Can Mental Floss make a facts video about John Green hosted by John Green?

[@pandaman1096]

What's with all the thumbs downs.... Definitely a touching mental floss

[@cjhs2006]

You Guys Should've Had The Muppets in This 1

[@veearce3384]

Hey mental floss crew can I have something from the wall of magic? I love you all!!!! Especially John ;)

[@likenem]

Stay away from that last fact if you don't want the feels

[@ROCIOlogy]

hi! I loved everything about mental floss... so, where is the misconceptions video??

[@flamshiz]

unexpectedly crying at the end of the last fact??

[@swr1240]

Blood started boiling when you said, "Luke, I am your father." Thank you for covering yourself a second later, and thus, allowing my blood to come back to normal temperature and pressure.

[@sheylamontoni9619]

+Alan Jeffrey To be fair, that's not even the actual line.

[@swr1240]

+Sheyla Montoni that was my point, and that's why he mentioned that right after saying it

[@sheylamontoni9619]

+Alan Jeffrey :)

[@fartzinwind]

There were different hosts for Fraggle Rock in other countries??? must find me one of these.

[@MonsterousNighty]

Who else got a little misty eyed at the end?

[@katelynbrennafowler]

2:02 Jim Henson's grandmother was a deer? You learn something new everyday.